Recipes
Caraway Eccles Cakes
These tasty pastries are inspired by Eccles cakes, which take their name from the town in northwestern England. The traditional cakes are made from pastry stuffed with currants, candied citrus peel, and spices. We've left the currants out of this version, though they could be easily re-introduced for anyone who can't imagine the pastry without their signature ingredient.For a new take on the Eccles cake, we added caraway seeds to the crust and filled them with orange marmalade and white cheddar. The caraway is earthy, and compliments the bitter sweetness of the orange. Our version of the crust is leavened with butter and cream cheese, and the results are flaky, golden brown and delicious.
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Caraway Mini Pancakes
Caraway isn't the first spice that comes to mind when you think about pancakes, but it should be! These Caraway Mini Pancakes are the perfect foundation for sweet and savory toppings like summer fruit and smoked salmon. Dress them up or enjoy them with a simple drizzle of maple syrup. They're delicious. The yeast in the pancakes makes them fluffy and fragrant and brings out the earthy qualities of the caraway. A perfect secret ingredient for your next Sunday brunch, no one will expect the caraway in the pancakes, but they are certain to enjoy them.
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Blackberry-Poultry Rub Jam Grilled Cheese
When blackberries are in season they pop up everywhere. This year, in lieu of the usual pies and pastries, we decided to make something savory with these juicy berries. The result? Blackberry jam spruced up with our Poultry Rub seasoning. Don't let the name fool you, because this blend has a perfect medley of herbs to complement the star ingredient. Rosemary, thyme and sage work together to balance the sweet and tart of the blackberries while adding a subtle earthiness. We tested out our creation as a spread for grilled cheese, and it passed with flying colors. It's sweet, salty, crispy and fruity. Muenster and Swiss cheese combine for a perfect blend of melty nuttiness to pair with the jam. This sandwich is great for an indulgent lunch, and a miniature version would make a decadent appetizer around the holidays.
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Caraway and Dried Berry Loaf
Baking bread is a delightfully rewarding cooking journey, watching what was once a blob of dough emerge as a warm loaf from the oven. This recipe is great for beginners. It's easy and doesn’t require fancy equipment, but give yourself some lead time as the dough does need to sit in the refrigerator overnight. The texture and flavors are what is really special about this loaf. The dried cranberries give you a tangy fruity burst in every bite, and the caraway is a perfect complement. Enjoy this bread toasted with your favorite cup of tea or with a hearty soup or stew.
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Advieh Baklava
Baklava is wonderful in any and all forms, but for some of us, it can be too sweet. Sacrilege to sweet-tooth's everywhere, I know, but when we added our Advieh spice blend to the mix it came out juuuuuust right. It is still a very sweet pastry, but the spice blend combines hints of savory cumin and coriander with roses and true cinnamon to make a well rounded flavor that complements the nuts and plays very well with the honey. Layered in a springform pan and allowed to set overnight, this dazzling dessert is as beautiful as it is delicious.
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Chinese Five Spice Plum Sauce
When life gives you plums, make plum sauce! And plum cardamom bread, but that's another story. Plum sauce is a traditional complement for grilled meats in Asian cuisine and is a wonderful pairing with duck, pork, chicken or salmon. It is easy to make and is an ideal way to preserve a bumper crop of plums. This sauce is delightfully complex and balances all the flavors on the palate. The sweet plums are paired with Chinese Five Spice, onions, garlic and shallots with a kick of ginger to round it out. One batch yields several pints so be ready to can it or freeze it to have on hand year round and there will still be plenty left over to gift some. We took our inspiration from Hank Shaw at Hunter, Angler, Gardener, Cook and really appreciated the time saving tip of freezing the plums to make them easier to pit. It was a breeze!
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Besar Cranberry Chutney
The rich and toasty taste of our Besar blend makes an ideal complement for the pop of fresh cranberry in this exotic twist on a holiday classic. Candied ginger and dried apricots round out the fruity flavors, and the result is an intensely flavored chutney that you can serve well past Thanksgiving. You can try variations too- add an apple to mellow the flavors or some chopped walnuts for a little crunch. Any way you make it, the bright flavor of cranberries add a bit of sunshine to a winter feast.
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African Peanut Soup with Grains of Paradise
This West African soup recipe combines sweet potatoes and peanut butter with Grains of Paradise. The flavors balance beautifully and are a wonderful showcase for this exotic spice. This mythical African spice has a mild peppery taste with floral top notes that hint at ginger and cardamom. The soup is creamy, mild and not at all heavy, making it a wonderful starter or side. Looking to make a meal? Check out our other African recipes for something to pair it with!
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Blackened Shrimp Bites
Shrimp & grits comes in many forms, and they are all good! This version starts with polenta squares dotted with fresh thyme and layers on sauteéd collard greens with blackened shrimp on top. This recipe does require some assembly, but it's worth the effort because the combination of texture and flavor is outstanding. Just make sure you ventilate. Blackening will make a bit of smoke!
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